Afterword

ThimphuTech was the first technology blog in Bhutan. We started writing it in 2009, just as broadband and mobile internet started to take off. (Although internet in Bhutan was launched in 1999, it was either super-slow or super-expensive, and was only used by a selected few).

In the blog, we wrote about technology and food, but also about plenty of other stuff. The blog became popular and influential in Bhutan. A companion bi-weekly column -- Ask Boaz -- was published for many years in the Kuensel, Bhutan's national newspaper. (The complete Kuensel columns are available as an ebook, Blogging with Dragons).

We stopped updating the blog when we left Bhutan in 2014, but the information within the posts can still prove useful, and thus we decided to keep it online.

We thank all our readers.
Tashi Delek,
Boaz & Galit.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

A small favour from Google

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, search giant Google has online presence in over 180 countries, including Bhutan's long-time football rival, tiny Montserrat at google.ms.

Thus, the obvious question: Isn't it prime time for www.google.bt? Surprisingly, the domain is currently available for purchase, arguably one of the last Google domains still not taken. Yes, I know: International companies have to pay a hefty Nu 3,000 per year (around US$70) to register a .bt domain ("exclusive of bank transfer charges"), but with Google's last year's revenue at around Nu 1.3 trillion (!), I have a gut feeling the company can afford this lavish expense.

So please, if you happen to meet Google's CEO, Mr. Larry Page, kindly ask him to consider google.bt. And please let him know that these types of things are better resolved in a civil manner, or else Google might be running the risk of a well-organized campaign via a Facebook page... ;-)

Artist's rendition of Google Bhutan's future home page © 2011 ThimphuTech.com

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1 comment:

  1. DamianTuesday, March 13, 2012

    Does anyone know why google.bt is unavailable outside of Bhutan?

    It is such a pity. I would like to find some Dzongkha-language websites, maybe forums or blogs, but I have no idea how can I do it.

    ReplyDelete

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